This style makes the teacher more of an authority figure in the class, primarily responsible for constructing learning activities and controlling the delivery of information. It works best with students who don't have a good understanding of the material and are more dependent. Though the teacher can include interpersonal connection, it's not really needed to make this teaching style work. Students do not need to prove their understanding of the subject, except when asked questions by the teacher. You can use this style on students with different learning abilities.
If students have a sufficient knowledge of the subject and have demonstrated a certain amount of independence, a teacher can try to be more of a facilitator. The teacher should be willing to give up some of the control and give students more responsibility in creating lesson plans and learning activities. It is good for the instructor to have a good relationship with students because they should be able to communicate the lesson objectives. This style is more "empowering" for students and requires more emotional maturity.
This style is often confused with the authoritarian method that gives students almost no input in the structure and flow of the class. But, an authoritative teacher has established a relationship where the students feel free to ask questions and make suggestions. Because of constant encouragement and reinforcement, students take risks and push themselves. This does not mean that the instructor is passive; she is still the dominating force in the classroom, and strict discipline and adherence to the syllabus is emphasized.
Teachers who embrace this style act as a role model or demonstrator for their students. Students receive a large part of their understanding by watching the instructor perform skills and exercises and achieve the desired result. This does not excuse students from learning the procedure themselves, but allows them to witness the step-by-step process. The modeling style can be a challenge for teachers, because they will have to change their demonstrations to fit different learning styles. Students should feel free to ask questions during the problem-solving process.